leahkaplan cropt

Leah Kaplan

Associate Artist - Past

Lines, undulation, texture, light and shadow are recurring themes in my work. I find inspiration for them everywhere. Fortuny pleats. Mushroom gills. Aboriginal paintings. Crushed, corrugated cardboard. All these influences seep into my making.

To maintain dynamism in my studio practice, I am continually experimenting with new hand-building techniques. But my chosen material, porcelain, remains a constant. Its whiteness, plasticity and translucency hold an enduring allure for me. Its transformation from malleable material to vitrified form always awes and surprises me.

My vessel-making is an iterative process, driven by intent and intuition. Each hand-building technique has its own particular rhythm and feel, altering how I experience and interact with a piece. Some methods require meticulousness; others are fast and loose. Some techniques demand absolute focus, like a high wire act; others allow my mind to drift and my hands to take over. From this conversation, my forms emerge – a material expression of tension and balance amidst competing impulses.

I maintain a full time studio practice in Old City Philadelphia, with visits by appointment.